CRAIG WEIR plays the bagpipes for a hobby but this week he will be the toast of New York when he plays his pipes at two of the most important sites in the USA, for Tartan Week.

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The 21-year-old from Dundee has been asked to play at the two of the city’s most iconic locations - the 9/11 memorial and Ellis Island - as part of the week-long Scotland Week Celebrations across the USA.

On Friday, standing between the north and south fountain at the 9/11 memorial, once the site of the Twin Towers, lone piper Craig will play a series of haunting laments.

Only one performer is permitted access to the spot for 15 minutes every month, so Craig is honoured to be asked to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragedy in 2001.

Then on Sunday he will cross the Hudson River to Ellis Island to play the Immigrants Lament, a tune commissioned by the Clan Currie Society for the 2015 celebrations.

Robert Currie, society president, said: “The tune captures the essence of a Scots emigrant yearning for his homeland far, far away. No doubt countless numbers of Scots yearned for Scotland as they embarked upon a new life in a new world.”

Between both events, on Saturday, Craig will also march through Manhattan as part of the Tartan Day Parade - which is sponsored by Scotland Now - with thousands of people to celebrate the legacy Scots had on America.

Craig will march through Manhattan as part of the Tartan Day

It will be a high point in a packed week for the piper, which includes playing at schools in Manhattan and the Bronx, a special guest appearance with the Highland Divas, and playing for Billy Connolly at the NTS USA Gala Dinner.

But incredibly, piping is merely a hobby for Craig, who is actually a full-time student studying community learning and development.

Yet since learning to pipe at the age of eight Scotland’s national instrument has given Craig some extraordinary opportunities.

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Brian May acknowledges Craig to the audience as he leaves the stage

He recently played with the Kaiser Chiefs and Queen at their Scottish gigs and he has performed for The Queen.

But meeting and playing for the Dalai Lama in 2012, was probably been his most significant moment so far.

“I was invited to compose a piece of music to welcome him to Dundee, which I played that morning on the steps of the Caird Hall,” says Craig.

“He arrived and we had a little chat - it was an unbelievable experience. He thanks me a million times for writing the music and told me pipes have been a big part of his life for a long time.”

The Dalai Lama told Craig that Auld Lang Syne was often played as he grew up in Tibet and the piece always made him emotional.

“So he has a long-standing affirmation for the instrument which is pretty crazy to learn about,” Craig adds.

The Dalai Lama wearing the World Peace Tartan

The historic visit to Scotland also marked the launch of the World Peace Tartan and the Dalai Lama became the first person to wear the plaid with colours that represent peace and light and the Scottish Thistle.

Afterwards Craig was named one of the three official Ambassador’s for the tartan, along with Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson and Victor Spence, the tartan’s designer.

Of course Craig will wear the tartan with pride at his engagements in New York this week.

“This is my first trip to the US and I’m really excited,” said Craig, who is also Pipe Sergeant of the Arbroath Pipe Band as well as the front man for Celtic Rock band Gleadhraich.

“Piping is not my job but it is something I enjoy and I think its really important that we encourage young people to continue the tradition and culture of our national instrument,” he says.